Professor Lilly Jan, Cornell Nolan School of Hotel Administration shares the latest food and beverage data — Photo by hertelier.com

As part of the recent Global Hospitality Summit organized by the International Hospitality Insititute Cornell Nolan School of Hotel Administration Professor Lilly Jan spoke about upcoming food and beverage trends, which given the ups and downs with COVID, there were a few surprises!

According to Professor Jan, the foodservice industry is expected to recover on a nominal basis (this includes inflation) in 2022, though this data was researched before the Omicron variant of COVID.

Spicy F & B Trends for 2022 with Professor Lilly Jan, Cornell Nolan School of Hotel Administration— Photo by hertelier.comSpicy F & B Trends for 2022 with Professor Lilly Jan, Cornell Nolan School of Hotel Administration— Photo by hertelier.com
Spicy F & B Trends for 2022 with Professor Lilly Jan, Cornell Nolan School of Hotel Administration— Photo by hertelier.com

Menu Trends: Shrinkage, Noodles, and Spices

Sixty percent of restaurant menus shrank during COVID and when they did it was by 10 % with the biggest losers appetizers (down 14 %), desserts, and booze with the exception of White Claw and Non-Alcoholic Beers, which had a boost. Other items that saw a decrease––breakfast, and foods that need temperature-specific preparation like steaks or scallops––not surprising as much of 2020 dining was takeout.

What are the big menu winners?

  • Noodles!
    Not surprising as historically people want comfort food during stressful times.
  • Plant-based items, i.e. jackfruit and meat substitutes, and the overall trend in more sustainable eating.

Read the full article at hertelier.com